Palmer has to prove he’s the one Jones is looking for

Mike Simmonds

On-loan forward Ollie Palmer has to prove he’s the striker who can fill the gap in Hatters’ squad next season according to boss Nathan Jones.

The Luton chief confirmed he will be looking to add a permanent attacker in the summer to accompany the likes of Danny Hylton, Isaac Vassell and Jack Marriott.

We want to have four different strikers, a variation, and he needs to show us that if we’re going to take a big one, an aggressive one, that he’s the one.

Nathan Jones

On Palmer, who has scored two goals in 13 games since arriving from Leyton Orient on deadline day, Jones said: “He’s got a chance. We want to have variation in our strikers, there’s three under contract, so there is a space available for one.

“Isaac (Vassell) is learning his trade, Danny (Hylton) pretty much does everything at this level, so there’s a spot for one striker there.

“He (Palmer) gives us that different option and that little bit more presence, so he’s a nice option to have.”

“He’s got an opportunity and got the minimum of four games to prove that.”

When asked what Palmer, who isn’t available to play against his parent club tomorrow, needs to do to show Jones he should be the answer to the Town chief’s search, he said: “I’d like to see him score a minimum of four winning goals that give us the maximum points.

“In terms of him, he has to be the one to come on, be aggressive, get us up the pitch, if he adds goals to that then great.

“But what we want, is we want to have four different strikers, a variation, and he needs to show us that if we’re going to take a big one, an aggressive one, that he’s the one.

“The competition that he has from outside and what we’ll be able to bring in the summer, the pool will be slightly bigger.

“So he’s got to make sure what he’s done in the last two games when he’s come on, he’s doing on a regular basis.

“Because we’d like him to start and have that impetus from the start, as we’ve got that with Danny, while Jack and Isaac are different.

“They’re still young and have different potency to the other two, so we’ll have variation in all four that you really need to you want to compete at any level.”

Town skipper Scott Cuthbert would be happy to see Palmer become a full time member of the squad next season, saying: “He’s settled in well and he’ll be desperate to play as much as he can.

“I share a lift with him every day, he’s certainly not shy is big Olly, he’s full of confidence on and off the park.